I’ve seen many presidents come and go, but I’ve never watched a tableau like the one Tuesday (January 20), when four million eyes turned heavenward, following the helicopter’s path out of town. Everyone, it seemed, was waving good bye with one or two hands, a wave that moved westward down the Mall toward the Lincoln Memorial, and keeping their eyes unwaveringly on that green bird.
They wanted to make absolutely, positively certain that (George) W. (Bush) was gone. It was like a physical burden being lifted, like a sigh went up of “Thank God. Has Cheney’s wheelchair left the building, too?� (Maureen Dowd, The New York Times, January 21, 2009).

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten the planet. (Barack H. Obama, his Inaugural Address).

The long, seemingly interminable, eight years of President Bush’s administration finally came to end at the noon of January 20, 2009. A new era began then. The era of preemptive wars ended and the era of political engagement started. George W. Bush was the worst president in the history of the U.S. He created worldwide terrorism apparently trying to end terrorism. He created evil in the world when he labeled some nations as constituting the “axis of evil.� He started the war in Iraq at the urging of the neoconservatives without truly comprehending the purpose of that war. He and his administration vowed to fight terrorism endlessly without realizing that his war did not diminish terrorism; it increased it. There was neither a determined occupation of Iraq nor was there any plan to end the war and get out of there. The soldiers do not know why they are still in Iraq.

The Iraq War led to a paranoia at home with the result that illegal and indiscriminate wiretapping of Amercian citizens was started to identify and locate the terrorists. A free and law abiding country was converted to almost a police state. People were arrested on slightest suspicion and detained in jail at Guantanamo Bay without any trial. He proclaimed he was spreading democracy in the world while he curtailed and diminished it at home. An example of his democracy abroad is Palestine where the majority of people voted Hamas into power over the moderate (Pro-West) Mahmoud Abbas of Fateh party. This, Bush didn’t want; he instigated Israel to attack Gaza and depose the democratically elected Hamas.

One can go on and on enumerating the instances of Bush’s shortsightedness and his numerous political misadventures but thank goodness he is gone for good.

Many earnestly believe Obama’s inauguration is a boon from heaven. It remains to be seen how good will Obama’s administration turn out; one thing is certain though that the wheel has started turning up after reaching the lowest point. It is only his second day in office and he has already started putting the things back in order. The omens are certainly good.

His first action after taking over was regarding the scandalously infamous Guantanamo Bay. He ordered “military prosecutors in the Guantanao war crimes tribunals to ask for a 120-day halt in all pending cases and a judge granted the request on Wednesday (January 21, 2009) in the case against a young Canadian (Omar Khadr).� He plans to shut it down completely within one year.

His second action was aimed at cutting down corruption. He is instituting new limits on lobbyists in the White House and has frozen the salaries of some high-paid aides. “The new rules also require that anyone who leaves his administration is not allowed to try to influence former friends and colleagues for at least two years,� (Obama freezes salaries of some White House aides, Jennifer Loven, AP White House Correspondent, January 21, 2009). Obama also sat with Joint Chiefs of Staff to discuss how to end the war in Iraq.

While these actions at home on his first day in office are very encouraging and full of hope, we have to wait and see how he handles some of the political tight spots abroad. One of such spots is Iran; another is Afghanistan. He has already asserted that he would engage in political discussions and negotiations with Iran without any pre-conditions. The Iranian president, Ahmedinejad has also sent some feelers to Obama but nothing has surfaced yet how or when he is going to engage Iran. He seems to believe more in accommodation than hurling meaningless threats. He will try his political engagement in Afghanistan as well. Pakistan is a key state for this purpose and Obama is carefully treading in his approach to Pakistan. The problems abroad are quite tenuous and serious. They were made all the more dangerous by Bush’s aggressions and refusal to talk with his adversaries. The world is watching Obama with a bated breath.

In view of the complexity of problems abroad, it doesn’t seem that violence will end any time soon. The jinni cannot be put back into the bottle easily. The world is watching if Obama ventures in the right direction to end the violence. Political negotiations may not yield immediate results but continued efforts may open the door for a peaceful ambience. In his inaugural speech, Obama addressed the Muslim world and the Muslim world is also listening. He said, “To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.�

These are the words of wisdom and it is hoped that the Muslim world will reciprocate and unclench its fist for the sake of the world peace.